McGrady, Okafor and the Bobcats

You're asking if we have any thoughts?

I'd have to say the EXACT SAME thoughts I had in tbui's thread names "McGrady nonsense".

 

Grant Hill and the #1 pick could potentially be had for Mobley, Cato, and Piatkowski... T-Mac did say he wanted a few shooters and a big guy, right? I think Steve is too much to give away for Okafor (who, in my opinion, is the next Theo Ratliff... But then again, Ewing was viewed as purely a defensive specialist when he was drafted too.)

 

Okafor has also missed time with back problems, so we would have to be absolutley certain that there is nothing wrong with his back before we drafted him.

 

do yall really think les alexander is going to want any part of grant hill and his contract? i dont think under any circumstance alexander would agree to take on hill's contract and pay 30+ million over the next 2-3 years for a player who isn't going to play, i don't care how rich you are no one wants to spend 30 million dollars on nothing, and if you think grant hill will opt out then think again, not likely

and this includes t-mac, i don't think any owner will be willing to that

 

1) Les loves Grant Hill.
2) Hill could've come back late last season. Now he's taking a few months off, then more rehab and full contact drills, then training camp? There's a good chance he'll play next season. He won't be great and he won't play much, but he'll probably play.
3) All indications are that Hill will opt out, unless he actually plays back to his old level, which is unlikely.
4) Even if he doesn't play, and his contract is for a year while he sits on the bench, I'll take T-Mac thank you.

 

Question for the capologists - how much of the contract could Orlando agree to absord? I recall that NY paid a lot of Rice's contract, and New Jersey paid a lot of Motumbo's contract (or was he outright cut?)

Also, is there insurance paying back Orlando, if say, Hill played in less than 10 percent of the games? Would this coverage transfer to the Rockets in a trade?

Just trying to think of ways that the blow could be lessened for Les. If Orlando is going to be out the Hill money, anyway (or not out the money because of an insurance policy), they would still get the benefit of salary cap flexibility from the trade if we used all or part of the trade exception in the deal.

 

les alexander is NOT draten maclane

 

a.) A team is limited to giving $3 million dollars cash in any one deal. NJ agreed to a buyout with Mutumbo.

b.) In most cases, teams do have insurance on players. I would assume it transfers, but there's no real resources online to learn the specifics on that.

PS-
Sane, how do you know Les loves Grant Hill?

 

1. Les does love Grant Hill, but he probably loves $30M more.
2. Even though he's had time to rest it, Hill will never be the same. He hasn't been able to play on it the last 3 years, I doubt he ever will be able to.
3. Why would Hill opt out? He's guaranteed the $$ no matter what and no one will take him if he does.

I'll take Hill for T-Mac, but I doubt Les feels the same way. Hill is one of the biggest burdens in the NBA, ever.

 

Hill did play last season and his stats were not too shabby. But his angle was short-lived.

 

Zach Randolph? Thank you, thats all i need to know.

 

Uhh, no he didn't play (unless you meant '02-'03) and let me give all of you Les haters and hypocrites some reading material.

Monday, August 19, 1996.
Houston Chronicle Sports page.
Right-side column - Fran Blinebury.

HEADLINE: Alexander's bold moves show how to run franchise

It starts off: MEMO to Drayton McLane Jr.: This is how it's done.

"...In another bold, dramatic move, Leslie Alexander has shown us he is the only owner in these parts to understand that in this age of inflating player salaries, astronomically rising ticket prices and desires for expensive new sports palaces, the best way to keep the fans interested is to give them plenty of sizzle and a huge cut of the steak."

YES, SIR

 

I said he hasn't played a significant # of games since. He played 29 games last season and you're right, his numbers werent bad.

But Hill has only played 47 games combined the last 3 seasons!! I just don't see Les paying out 30M for him.

 

I do see T-Mac as a top 5 player.

And if you look at recent history (Lakers), 2 top 5 players on the same team with good role players will get you alot further than 4 or 5 individual talented players (kings and Mavs).

I do believe we have the role players in JJ, Cato, Pike, etc.

Yes, we will have holes to fill. But with the trade exeption and maybe a MLE we can fill those holes, while still having a deep bench.

However, if taking Hill's contract is part of the deal, count me out. Unless, the #1 pick is included with T-Mac.

 

I don't remember if it was Doc or Clutch that told us so a short while back, maybe a couple of weeks ago.

What I'm 100% sure of is that a reliable source told us that Les loves Grant Hill, otherwise I wouldn't even remember it.

 

- Hill will never be the same, no one disagreed with that. I'm saying he'll play 25 miutes per game at a decent level. You think Grant Hill would be available if he were playing at his natural level? He will most probably be very capable of playing 25 minutes a game at 70% of his former self. That's perfectly fine.

- GATER was telling us that everything from Orlando indicates that Hill will opt out. I think this theory would be supported when he's playing for an owner that loves him. GATER, if you're reading, could you remind us where you got that he'd opt out?


This deal is not about Grant Hill. The deal is about the #1 pick. Grant Hill is the negative that you have to take with the #1 pick. Even if he doesn't play, but opts out in a year, I do this deal. It won't provide us capspace, but it will provide us with cap relief and the only bad contract we'll have left is that of MoT.

 

First of all, we are over the cap. Hill contract would push us to the luxury range and costs Les 40 M ( it is not 30 M in the next three years) PLUS the PENALTY.

If we did not match Posey's contract because it is 1 M per year more than Les was willing to pay, how in the hell les is willing to pay Hill's 40 M plus another possible 40 M penalty?

Look, KNicks trade peanuts for Marbury AND Hardaway because of Hardaway's contract. Heck, we trade our No.1 this year to get rid of Rice's one-year contract. Orlando has to pay Les /us a lot more if they ever want to load Hill to us.

 

Sane -
Hill and McGrady have identical contracts. Which is why Weisbrod is pressuring McGrady to sign an extension. Both Hill and TMac have player options for the season after next...2005-06.

I don't have time to find the (reliable) source right now, but I remember reading that Hill is frustrated that he can't play, feels somewhat guilty for taking the mega-bucks w/o playing and is on record that if he could not play in 2004-05, he would retire. Retiring this coming season forfeits the 2005 POpt. My guess is a google on the Orlando Sentinel would find the information about Hill. Off to work....

 

Teams contacting Magic

GM John Weisbrod said there has been lots of interest in trading for the No. 1 pick in the draft.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 3, 2004


As many as a dozen teams have talked to the Orlando Magic about trading for the No. 1 pick in the June 24 draft, including some clubs that have dangled name players for the pick.

But Magic General Manager John Weisbrod downplays any imminent blockbuster developments, saying, "Everybody is bold now."

Pulling the trigger on trades is another thing.

"I've probably talked to 10 or 12 teams about the pick," Weisbrod said. "I don't think there is one team that is any more zealous than another. There's a lot of poker being played."

Weisbrod has said the Magic could deal the top pick, but he declined to mention the names of recognizable players being offered or the teams offering them. It has been reported that Dallas and the expansion Charlotte Bobcats have called the Magic.

Weisbrod said the Magic haven't actively shopped the pick but are listening to offers.

He did agree that Connecticut center Emeka Okafor and Atlanta high school star Dwight Howard are the "consensus" top choices. Both will be brought to Orlando for workouts and interviews after the pre-draft camp, which begins Tuesday in Chicago.

Weisbrod will make the trip along with Coach Johnny Davis, assistant coach Paul Westhead, director of player personnel Dave Twardzik and director of player development Otis Smith.

The Magic will explore trade possibilities to see if they can acquire veterans in return. Tracy McGrady doesn't want to rebuild around draft picks and has said he might "have no choice" but to push for a trade if the team can't improve quickly this offseason.

McGrady even named a few teams last week that he might be interested in, telling the Sentinel that the Houston Rockets appealed to him.

Weisbrod maintains that discussions with McGrady's agent, Arn Tellem, are "positive."

Weisbrod said that contrary to the published reports, McGrady's camp has not given the Magic a list of teams he might want to play for next season.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...4jun03,1,1468374.story?coll=orl-magic','111')



Orlando Magic's Tracy McGrady waves goodbye to the media at the Magic training facility in April. The Magic want to keep McGrady, but are willing to trade him if he wants to go. McGrady, whose seven-year, $93 million contract runs through the 2006-07 season, can opt out of the deal after next season.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)